IQ and the Values of Individuals
The relationship between intelligence and values is often discussed in a strangely simplistic manner. Popular culture alternates between two equally inadequate assumptions. The first is that intelligence naturally produces good values. The second is that intelligence has nothing whatsoever to do with values. Both positions overlook a deeper and more interesting possibility. Intelligence may not determine what we value, but it may profoundly influence the structure through which values are represented, evaluated, modified, and integrated. The temptation to see intelligence as a source of values is understandable. Intelligent individuals frequently exhibit beliefs that differ from those of the populations around them. They are more likely to question inherited assumptions, explore unconventional ideas, and engage with abstract systems of thought. From a distance, this can create the appearance that intelligence itself generates a particular worldview. Yet a closer examination reveal...